Hegen
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Short description|A baby product brand in Singapore}}
{{About||the German surname|Hegen (surname)|the Romanian commune called Hégen in Hungarian|Brădeni}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Hegen
| logo = Hegen logo 2.jpg
| type = Private Limited
| industry = Baby and Nursing Products
| foundation = June 2014
| location = 438A Alexandra Road, #02-01 Alexandra Technopark, Singapore 119967
| key_people = {{ublist |Yvon Bock (CEO)}}
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.hegen.com/}}
}}
Hegen is a Singapore brand incorporated in June 2014{{Cite web|title=Hegen Pte Ltd|url=https://www.sgpbusiness.com/company/Hegen-Pte-Ltd|website=SGP Business}} that designs and produces breastfeeding pumps, storage containers, and bottles.{{Cite news|last=Tan|first=Sue-Ann|date=18 January 2022|title=Top 10 fastest-growing companies in Singapore|work=The Straits Times|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/top-10-fastest-growing-companies-in-singapore|access-date=28 January 2022}} Its flagship product is its Express-Store-Feed system with the patented Press-to-Close, Twist-to-Open (PCTO) technology.{{Cite web |title=She Turned A Setback Into A Success – Pumped In S$5M To Create Her Own Brand Of Baby Bottles |url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/porean-pumped-5m-create-baby-033104841.html |access-date=6 May 2022 |website=sg.news.yahoo.com |date=28 December 2017 |language=en-SG}} Its current CEO is its founder, Yvon Bock. Hegen was reported to be one of the top 10 fastest growing companies in Singapore and ranked #41 in the Financial Times "High-Growth Companies Asia-Pacific 2022".{{Cite news |date=17 March 2022 |title=FT ranking: Asia-Pacific High-Growth Companies 2022 |language=en-GB |url=https://www.ft.com/high-growth-asia-pacific-ranking-2022 |access-date=6 May 2022}}
Origin
Hegen was founded in 2015 by CEO Yvon Bock to provide sustainable, innovative and high-quality products for breastfeeding mothers,{{Cite web|date=5 December 2019|title=Case Studies: Hegen|url=https://iposinternational.com/resources/case-studies/hegen_158|access-date=28 January 2022|website=Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (International)}} particularly products that would simplify the task of expressing, storing and feeding breast milk to a baby.{{Cite news|last=Wu|first=Qing Kang (吴庆康)|date=2 May 2021|title=妈妈们说母婴生意经|language=Chinese|work=Lianhe Zaobao|url=https://www.zaobao.com.sg/lifestyle/feature/story20210502-1143688|access-date=27 January 2022}} More specifically, its mission was to offer a solution, then not existent in the market, for the problems faced by breastfeeding mothers in managing and storing their expressed breastmilk. As a mother of four, Bock sought to create technology and products that would simplify the task of expressing, storing and feeding breastmilk to a baby by minimizing both the amount of accessories required, and the need to transfer milk between receptacles. The official registration of the company and brand was preceded by 5 years of research and product design, self-funded by Bock.{{Cite web |title=Made With Passion: For the mind, body and soul |url=https://www.timeout.com/singapore/health-and-beauty/made-with-passion-for-the-mind-body-and-soul |access-date=6 May 2022 |website=Time Out Singapore |language=en-GB}}
The name "Hegen" originates from the German expression "hegen und pflegen", which means both "to care deeply" and also "to nurture".{{Cite web|date=5 December 2019|title=Case Studies: Hegen|url=https://iposinternational.com/resources/case-studies/hegen_158|access-date=28 January 2022|website=Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (International)}}
Sales and Marketing
Hegen products were first launched in Singapore, but have since expanded internationally through online marketing and e-commerce into 16 other markets.{{Cite web |title=妈妈们说母婴生意经 {{!}} 早报 |url=https://www.zaobao.com.sg/lifestyle/feature/story20210502-1143688 |access-date=6 May 2022 |website=www.zaobao.com.sg |language=zh-Hans}} The brand's growth is now primarily driven by online sales following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused the disruption of many of the brand's physical retail channels.{{Cite web |title=NDR 2021: More foreign investments among requirements for Singapore to sustain longer-term growth, says PM Lee |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/ndr-2021-singapore-economy-growth-foreign-investments-business-hub-lee-hsien-loong-2143016 |access-date=6 May 2022 |website=CNA |language=en}} It opens its first concept space in Motherswork Great World in 2022.{{Cite web |date=11 February 2022 |title=Breastfeeding solutions brand Hegen opens first concept space |url=https://insideretail.asia/2022/02/11/breastfeeding-solutions-brand-hegen-opens-first-concept-space/ |access-date=6 May 2022 |website=Inside Retail |language=en-US}}
Products
File:20211229 Hegen0031Final.jpg
Hegen produces pumping, storage and feeding products for breastfeeding mothers and babies, primarily the PCTO Express-Store-Feed system, as well as the PCTO electric breast pump. File:PCTO Double Breast Pump.jpg
Awards, accolades and recognition
Hegen's Express-Store-Feed system won the Good Design Award in 2018,{{Cite web |title=Hegen PCTO(TM) Multi-Functional Feeding System [Hegen] |url=https://www.g-mark.org/award/describe/48311?locale=en |website=Good Design Award 2018}} while the PCTO Double Electric Breast Pump won the same award in 2019.{{Cite web|title=Hegen Electric Breast Pump [Hegen PCTO Double Electric Breast Pump]|url=https://www.g-mark.org/award/describe/49809?token=Sx3Gu6P8W5|website=Good Design Award 2019}} Its All-Rounder Cup also won the Red Dot design award in 2023.{{Cite web |title=Red Dot design award |url=https://www.red-dot.org/about-red-dot}}
On Singles' Day 2017, Hegen became the first Singaporean brand to appear live on Feng Kuang Boss, China's e-commerce giant Alibaba's 24-hour livestreaming variety show cum brand showcase.{{Cite web |last=Auto |first=Hermes |date=3 November 2017 |title=Baby bottle maker Hegen first Singapore brand featured in Alibaba Singles' Day extravaganza {{!}} The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/baby-bottle-maker-hegen-is-first-singapore-brand-to-be-featured-in |access-date=6 May 2022 |website=www.straitstimes.com |language=en}}
As a brand, Hegen has also won a silver Stevie Award in 2020.{{Cite web|title=Stevie Awards Past Winners and Finalists 2020|url=https://stevieawards.com/search-past-winners-and-finalists?site_type=&year=2020&company_name=&award=&nomination_title=&country=Singapore&category_group=&state=&category=&city=&submitted_by=&industry=&items_per_page=10&page=4|website=Stevie Awards}} In 2023, they clinched 11th place at the Enterprise 50 awards.{{Cite web |title=Enterprise 50 Awards 2023 Winners |url=https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/events-awards/enterprise-50/winners/2023-1 |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=www.businesstimes.com.sg}}
Hegen has been mentioned as an example of successful Singapore business by several Singapore government figures, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong{{Cite news |last=Tang |first=See Kit |date=29 August 2021 |title=NDR 2021: More foreign investments among requirements for Singapore to sustain longer-term growth, says PM Lee |work=Channel Newsasia |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/ndr-2021-singapore-economy-growth-foreign-investments-business-hub-lee-hsien-loong-2143016 |access-date=28 January 2022}} in his 2021 National Day Rally and Minister for Trade and Industry, S Iswaran.{{Cite web |date=5 October 2017 |title=Speech by Minister S Iswaran at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs 10th ASEAN and Asia Forum |url=https://www.mti.gov.sg/Newsroom/Speeches/2017/10/Speech-by-Minister-Iswaran-at-the-Singapore-Institute-Of-International-Affairs-10TH-ASEAN-and-Asia-F |access-date=27 January 2022 |website=Ministry of Trade and Industry Singapore}}
Corporate Social Responsibility
Since 2018, Hegen has sponsored breastfeeding kits and conducted baby massage and breastfeeding workshops at Safe Place, a Singapore not-for-profit organisation supporting women and families with unsupported pregnancies.{{Cite web |title=This mother-of-four wants to make breastfeeding as easy as ABC |url=https://cnaluxury.channelnewsasia.com/people/mother-four-wants-make-breastfeeding-easy-abc-182841 |access-date=6 May 2022 |website=CNA Luxury |date=15 July 2020 |language=en}}
In April 2020, Hegen gifted 1,000 sets of its Express-Store-Feed starter kit to pregnant hospital healthcare workers in Singapore.{{Cite web |title=This mother-of-four wants to make breastfeeding as easy as ABC |url=https://cnaluxury.channelnewsasia.com/people/mother-four-wants-make-breastfeeding-easy-abc-182841 |access-date=6 May 2022 |website=CNA Luxury |date=15 July 2020 |language=en}}